"Reasons" for optimism

[BrAinPaiNt]

The secondary was forced to get rid of the older guys, minus Oscan, and work with a bunch of young guys.

While the young guys had struggles at time, as a whole I think it is fair to say they flashed and played better than many expected....and some of them did so with little to no training camp and missing parts of the season due to injuries.

J. Smith as others have pointed out. Looked bad for a good portion of the season but was still showing progress when he got chances in the end of the season. He seems to be getting better as time goes on as he heals and he learns.

I also think it is fair to say that even though it still needs improved and we do not know if will get better...The Pass rush was much better than most expected. Will we keep Tank and Irving who both have had injury issues and one has had "quirky" issues so it seems. Will Taco improve. With some of the other guys on the line get healthy and continue to improve.

This team has had problems, this defense has had problems and issues but I think it is fair to say that for the most part it was much better than expected and doing so with a younger core while also doing so with injuries.

====

Offense...I don't know if there is too much to get excited about going forward.

I think the offense regressed.

I will say that Cooper when Healthy has turned out well...we will see if he did well enough to get another contract with the cowboys. L. Collins also made us wonder if the transition was too much for him early on but started to look good as the season wore on.

Elliott...we have to see how he handles himself away from football. Even if he is 100% innocent (or not)...there will be those out there that will try to take advantage of him...it is up to him to limit the ability and access those type of people have to him.

The WR core and passing game as a whole regressed. I don't know of any WR in the corp that looked good or outstanding and the Passing game including the QB had a fair share of that but all blame cannot, unless one has an agenda, be placed on him.

If we keep the same offensive staff in place...I am not sure we will improve much next year.

So it seems the defense is the side of the ball showing promise...offense not so much.
However one wonders how a very good speedy WR could help...or how about a TE that can stretch the field..
Maybe a change of pace RB that is jitterbug type that can be a threat out of the back field.

If we have a good draft it can help this team...even though the naysayeres will disagree.

One last thing to consider.

With the way this team went down tubes this year...it probably means the Ginger and Cowboys will have a good year next year, regular season wise, as they are so bi-polar anymore with a good season then a bad season then a good season and so on.

 

[LucaBrasi]

I could give a few, but they are offset by the FO

 

[CATCH17]

Secondary looks on the rise.


People are up in arms about Dak but we probably saw his floor as a QB which isn't that bad.

No more Zeke suspension hanging over the franchise.


Other then that our only hope has to come from draft and FA because we're trotting out the same putrid coaching staff.

 

[sean10mm]

There is excessive pessimism among some people, like the ones who want to cut a 24 year old quarterback for having league average efficiency numbers in his second season when the OL and run game went to crap, instead of excellent ones like he did as a rookie when the OL and run game were excellent.

But broadly speaking it's the same leadership, so it's hard to get excited. They have shown no ability to build depth, so if anyone good is hurt on offense or defense, that whole side of the game just implodes. The entire concept of making the most of what you have seems alien to them, honestly - all their decisions in games seem predicated on the assumption that it's still 1993 and they can just steamroll people. It's the football equivalent of launching frontal assaults on fortified positions, but without either the element of surprise or fire superiority, and just counting on "fighting spirit" to carry you through. But of course "fighting spirit" can't stop hot lead.

 

[Stash]

Post some good things that are happening to this team. I know there's a lot of gloom and doom going on here, but I thought many of us needed something like this to raise our spirits


1. The defensive side of the ball looks like it will be a force to be reckoned with next year, assuming they bring back all the major components back with Lawrence and hitch. Additionally, the emergence of Jaylon Smith will dramatically improve our defense night and day.

2. Dallas DID win the last 4 of the last 5 games(meaningless or not)). Could this be a good trend for next year?

First of all, kudos for even attempting something like this right now.

Not too much joy in Mudville these days.

Despite an awful and disappointing year, I still think there are plenty of positives to point to from a personnel standpoint. I've said numerous times that I think a quality coaching staff wins with this talent right now.

I love the young scondary drafted this year and I think the future looks bright there. But as @Sydia said, end the Jones at safety nonsense and try to salvage something at cornerback. You'd be stacked if it's successful.

And as a TJ Watt guy, I'm happy that Taco kept plugging away and looked improved down the stretch. He didn't give up, so neither will I. I think we might ultimately have something in him.

It sure want the defense that let this team down down the stretch.

 

[John813]

Defense is undergoing a youth purge with some early value seen.
Secondary is super young with upside.
D-Line may finally turn the corner, and the oldest "stud" is 26.

Zeke isn't banned for life.

 

[Zordon]

db tackling has improved. i just hope there's no regression next year.

 

[jterrell]

Great idea for a thread.

1. When 9-7 is considered complete and utter failure you've come a long way from the bottom that was 4-12 quickly.
2. Dallas is one of the youngest teams in the league and has 10 draft picks.
3. We don't go into 2018 with 3 guys staring at suspensions like we did 2017.
4. Your QB and offense has faced adversity and must come back with new ideas and wrinkles.
5. Your QB has as many wins through 2 seasons as any QB in NFL history.
6. Your young secondary looks to be set for a decade.
7. You have the NFL's leading sack master though you gotta tag or resign him no one is crying about lack of war daddies now.
8. You have Earl Thomas begging to come here letting you know Dallas is still a desired free agent destination.
9. You have ample cap space.
10. You have Will McClay and Stephen Jones not Jerry Jones and Larry Lacewell drafting.
11. You aren't the Eagles.
12. You aren't the Giants.
13. You aren't the Commanders.
14. You have the best fan experience in the NFL at the Stadium and the Star.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Post some good things that are happening to this team. I know there's a lot of gloom and doom going on here, but I thought many of us needed something like this to raise our spirits


1. The defensive side of the ball looks like it will be a force to be reckoned with next year, assuming they bring back all the major components back with Lawrence and hitch. Additionally, the emergence of Jaylon Smith will dramatically improve our defense night and day.

2. Dallas DID win the last 4 of the last 5 games(meaningless or not)). Could this be a good trend for next year?

Um..........#1 I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. The defense needs about an 80% overhaul. And Jaylon looked much worse then what he was billed to be this season. Its like the only game you watched was the last game of the year.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

db tackling has improved. i just hope there's no regression next year.

The tackling was better...and I will not say this was in all cases with all of the DBs...But I think I seen more times where the DB was actually looking for the ball this year then in the last few combined...could just be me though so who knows.

 

[Idgit]

We've got a lot of the personnel pieces in place. We've got cap room to sustain that, and to add a piece or two in the process, and we've got draft resources to add players this offseason. We've got stability across the organization, and the personnel holes are pretty obvious and, for the most part, not positions that are difficult to fill. Even adding a quality ILB to supplement Lee/Hitchens isn't all that difficult. Adding a one tech is always pretty doable and fairly affordable. Finding the veteran Safety is going to be the only tough part, and even that's not like finding an OL or a QB or a cover CB.

The potential hole at LT and the backsliding at QB are huge concerns, though, and at the two most premium positions on the field. This isn't the thread for that, though.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Then list your own, negative nancy. If you can't, hit the highway. You need positive vibes, sir.

The ONLY thing that was positive about this year on my eyes was the breakout of Demarcus Lawrence. Some of the rookie backs were nice in that they didnt completely suck and you saw some talent. But that means squat going forward. The entire offense was horrid and everything got worse or old.

safeties are terrible, linebacker are either old, unproven, injured, or leaving. The DT's are suspect and we have one great DE. Thats about it pal. Our GM is terrible, our head coach is the worst in the NFL and we have the 20th pick which isnt high enough.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Great idea for a thread.

1. When 9-7 is considered complete and utter failure you've come a long way from the bottom that was 4-12 quickly.
2. Dallas is one of the youngest teams in the league and has 10 draft picks.
3. We don't go into 2018 with 3 guys staring at suspensions like we did 2017.
4. Your QB and offense has faced adversity and must come back with new ideas and wrinkles.
5. Your QB has as many wins through 2 seasons as any QB in NFL history.
6. Your young secondary looks to be set for a decade.
7. You have the NFL's leading sack master though you gotta tag or resign him no one is crying about lack of war daddies now.
8. You have Earl Thomas begging to come here letting you know Dallas is still a desired free agent destination.
9. You have ample cap space.
10. You have Will McClay and Stephen Jones not Jerry Jones and Larry Lacewell drafting.
11. You aren't the Eagles.
12. You aren't the Giants.
13. You aren't the Commanders.
14. You have the best fan experience in the NFL at the Stadium and the Star.

I'd hold my breath on # 3. Who knows how many players might be facing suspension for one thing or another by the time next September rolls around.

 

[CowboyRoy]

We've got a lot of the personnel pieces in place. We've got cap room to sustain that, and to add a piece or two in the process, and we've got draft resources to add players this offseason. We've got stability across the organization, and the personnel holes are pretty obvious and, for the most part, not positions that are difficult to fill. Even adding a quality ILB to supplement Lee/Hitchens isn't all that difficult. Adding a one tech is always pretty doable and fairly affordable. Finding the veteran Safety is going to be the only tough part, and even that's not like finding an OL or a QB or a cover CB.

The potential hole at LT and the backsliding at QB are huge concerns, though, and at the two most premium positions on the field. This isn't the thread for that, though.

By stability you mean the same old bad coaching coming back in jason Garrett and the crew? Is that stability to you?

This season uncovered more questions then answers and brought on some VERY troubling trends. Such as Tyron Smith and the Oline. And the fact that the WR corps is all but horrid, old, and needs to be completely gutted. Certainly Dak took a step back and came back to reality. Lee is another year older.

 

[diefree666]

the D needs a couple of pieces (real 1T and better Safety Play) to be top 10.
The real Achilles heel is of course Lee. We MUST find a replacement.
The O. Another story.
I think the Line will be better if we keep Collins and Cooper and learn to play together better,
Killer there is Tyron. What is his real condition going forward.

WR. need an overhaul there.
TE. Need to get more from that position one way or another
QB. Dak is back to where he started; has to prove himself.

 

[noshame]

Too soon I'm afraid I'm going to have to whine right up till the draft and free agency and hopefully I'll feel better

 

[Zordon]

The tackling was better...and I will not say this was in all cases with all of the DBs...But I think I seen more times where the DB was actually looking for the ball this year then in the last few combined...could just be me though so who knows.

yup gives me hope they're finally getting players that fit this system. i'd move jones into scandrick's role next year and get another sure tackler back there at safety.

 

[superonyx]

I'll add another:

If Dez somehow takes a paycut, it gives us room to add another WR to the depth chart. I think Dez could be a very, very good number 2 option.

Stop it..
Which WR are you adding with the savings? How much of a cut do you think he will take.

Bad news for you. The only WR worth a crap in free agency is Jarvis Landry and he has been averaging 100 catches per season. He isn't coming here for a discount.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Reason 1 I bought a lottery ticket for Saturday

Reason 2 - which is much less possible and optimistic than reason 1 - Jerry is picking out a new support team for Linehan and The Clapper

 

[CATCH17]

Um..........#1 I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. The defense needs about an 80% overhaul. And Jaylon looked much worse then what he was billed to be this season. Its like the only game you watched was the last game of the year.

I think the expectations for the defense are low and some of us are just projecting that they could be a pretty good unit.

We have a pass rush and our secondary has some legit talent.

If we add a linebacker and a run stuffer in the middle then we might be pretty solid.

Just like our offense though we need to be more dynamic on that side of the ball and not just line up and try to win the 1 on 1.